10 Clothing tips for your branding photoshoot

The biggest question people ask once they’ve booked a branding shoot with me is “what should I wear?”.

And we have a planning call a couple weeks before the shoot to go through some ideas, and plan the sort of look we want… but then usually a few days before the shoot, a late night panicked text arrives telling me that they don’t know what to do 😂.

And I totally understand.

I had a branding shoot last year, and the night before the shoot I was pulling outfits from my wardrobe like a mad woman. Realising too late that the dress I wanted to wear was a little snug, and that I probably should have bought something new.

So if you want avoid any stress, here are 10 Clothing tips for your branding photoshoot…

Wear clothes that match your brand’s style and aesthetic.

If you’re a business coach who’s known for your relaxed attitude and only ever wears jeans a cute T-shirt, is now the time to try a full business suit with fancy heels?

Perhaps you’re a fitness business. It’s going to be much more like that you’ll be found in yoga pants or sportswear.

If your brand style is relaxed then you’re not going to want to be dressy, just as if you’re aesthetic is more elegant it would be odd to see you dressed in yoga pants (even if that’s hat you wear most of the time 😂.

Choose neutral or solid colours

Neutral or solid colours tend to photograph better than busy patterns.

There are certain Patterns like dog tooth in suits that create a really crazy optical illusion in photos too.

Solid or neutral colours will work better if your shoot location is more fussy too. If you’re in a house that has loads of colour or has lots of ornaments and things on the wall then you’ll want to stand out…not clash with the background.

Avoid clothing with logos or branding,

Clothing with logos or branding (unless it’s your own logo or branding) can distract from the overall message of the photoshoot.

Years ago I did a shoot where a man turned up with a rude word on his T-shirt. It’s the sort of thing he wore all the time. And I’ve no problem with it… but on a photo that you’re sharing on your website or social media – how will your ideal client view that?

Dress in layers to add depth and dimension to your outfit.

The benefit of layers is that not only do you add interest to your outfit, but you’ve also go the option of removing something to change the look of the outfit.

Consider the location and setting of the photoshoot

Will what you wear look out of place in the location you’ve chosen for your shoot? To be honest this doesn’t always matter because the photos have blurry backgrounds. But will it look weird if you’re dressed for a night out but stood in a field?

Wear clothing that fits well

It seems kind of obvious that it’s a good idea to wear clothes that fit well. But how often do you wear something because you love it (or like me…because you refuse to go up a size in clothes and admit that all that Christmas cheese might just be showing ) and you feel uncomfortable- which translates into the photos.

At worst you’ll look uncomfortable in the photos… and then I’ll have to photoshop you. Then you’ll look even more odd..

oh and it’s a good idea to choose clothes that are in good condition too. Check for holes, stains and baggy bits. There are definitely things we can fix in photoshop but if I’m honest…I’d rather not have to do it.

Avoid wearing clothing that is too tight or too loose.

Leading on from wearing clothes that fit well we want to avoid anything too tight as it can be unflattering in photos. Here I’m thinking about tops that pull tight over your tummy when you sit down (and we’re going to be getting a variety of poses so expect sitting down photos).

The other thing people don’t realise is that anything too big for you will also look unflattering. I always think of those images you see on Pinterest where a young woman has a baggy jumper on – and she looks all cute clutching her coffee. You’re unlikely to look so cute…sorry but anything that add’s bulk doesn’t hide anything…

Choose comfortable clothing that you feel confident in.

How you feel in your clothes makes such a huge difference to how you look in your photos.

Wearing something uncomfortable or overly fitted is just going to restrict you and make you feel self conscious.

Bring a variety of clothing options

This one’s a favourite of my Clothing tips for your branding photoshoot

It’s ALWAYS a good idea to bring a few different outfits, maybe formal and casual pieces, to give you more versatility in your shots.

I like to think you’re going to get more use out of your photos than it looking like one photoshoot.

Consider the season and weather

Obviously we’re going to take the weather into account. If it’s freezing you’re going to need a coat… but more than that, have you considered that if you’re dressed in winter clothing that’s the look your photos are going to have.

Just like if it’s a bright sunny day, your photos will look summery.

and luckily when we’re planning your shoot, we’ll go through all of this, and discuss even more Clothing tips for your branding photoshoot!

And when you’re ready, here are three ways that I can help you:

1) Visit my blog for tips on VISIBILITY.

Every week I discuss strategies to improve your visibility, get over your fear of visibility and my latest shoots.  Read here

2) Plan a bespoke photoshoot.

We can plan a shoot based on what you actually need (read more) or you could join me at a Branding Day.

3) Join ‘Visibility School’.

Visibility school is a membership group where you get 12 months of photoshoots, a fab little Facebook group and a Visibility Toolkit (new for 2023 members) . Read